Improved step-ladder



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ABNEE MOORE, sa., OE` HILLSBOROUGH, OHIO..

IMPROVED STEP-LAD'D'ER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 54,387, dated May 1. 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABNER MOORE, Sr., of Hillsborough, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful elevation when closed.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

My invention consists in constructing a stepladder with slots made in or through and parallel with the side pieces, and in ttin g in these grooves slides connected by strips or arms to the legs of the ladder, and so arranged that when the legs are drawn from or pushed toward the ladder the slide will work in the slot, whereby the legs can be drawn out from the steps for a shorter or longer distance, as may be desired, and be braced without the use of hooks or further manipulation than the mere act of drawing them out or pushing them toward the steps. v

A designates the uprights or side pieces of the ladder, between which the steps B are secured in the usual or any suitable manner. rlhe side pieces are to be either two narrow strips, blocked apart at top and bottom, so as to leave a space, a, between them, as shown in the drawings, or a solid piece of board may be used for each upright, and a suitable slot, a, made in the same, running parallel with the length thereof.

Q is a slide, fitted to work up and down in .the slot a, and it is so held as not to be likely to get out of its place. Forinstance, agroove, b, may be made in the inner edges of the side strips, and a head on the slide made to fit therein, and thus the slide will be guided properly. To these slides C stays or arms D are pivoted, which latter are hinged at their outer ends to the legs B, so as to allow their moving to and from the steps in the usual way. Thus it will be seen that the distance .of the legs from the steps(which increases the height of the ladder or decreases it, as well as its inclination) may be regulated as desired, and that the legs will be held firmly in the position in which they are placed, and thus the use of hooks, Ste., now employed for keeping the legs out, and also for keeping the legs closed up to the steps, may be dispensed with.

What l claim as new, and desire to securev 

